Our previous study reported that TBL had higher efficiency than traditional style lecture. In the current study, there was no statistical difference in the examination score between flipped classroom and TBL. Therefore, we conclude that both styles are highly effective than traditional style lecture and constitute valid formats for clinical dental education.

Objectives:The premature loss of primary teeth is a potential risk factor for poor arch length development. Adequate arch length is important to the progression of the permanent teeth. Poor arch length can lead to crowding, ectopic eruption, or impaction of these teeth. This study is designed to assess the prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth in the 5-10-year-old age group.Materials and Methods:The study group included 185 children, that is, 91 boys and 94 girls. The dental examination was conducted by an experienced examiner under sufficient artificial light. Data including patient age and missing teeth were collected. Descriptive statistics were applied for data analysis, and from the results, Chi-square tests were used at a level of significance of 5% (P < 0.05).Results:We observed a 40.54% prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth with no statistically significant difference between genders. The lower left primary second molar was the most commonly absent tooth in the dental arch (13.5%).Conclusion:The status of premature loss of primary teeth was high in the study group. Implementation of efficient educational and preventive programs to promote oral health would help children maintain a healthy primary dentition and eventually prevent the disturbances in the future development of normal occlusion. Early detection and management of the space problems associated with the early loss of primary teeth would help in reducing malocclusion problems.

The aim of this study was to assess risk behaviors and its association with caries activity and dental caries in Japanese children. The subjects were 392 young Japanese children who underwent dental health checkup at 18, 30 and 42 months of age. Oral examinations, Cariostat tests and dental health questionnaires were carried out at each time. The caries prevalence of children was 1.5% at 18 months, 9.9% at 30 months and 28.1% at 42 months. Caries activity based on the Cariostat scores of children was correlated with caries status (caries-free/carious) at 42 months. In children with caries during each examination period at 42 months, eating snacks while playing was ranked as the most important behavioral risk (PϽ0.001), followed by breast-feeding (PϽ0.01), non setting of time for snacks (PϽ0.05) and frequency of snacks (PϽ0.05) at 18 months old; non brushing by mother (PϽ0.05) and eating snacks while playing (PϽ0.05) were ranked highest at 30 months old. In addition, eating snacks while playing (PϽ0.001) at 42 months old was the only a significant factor for children with caries. Caries activity and risk behaviors were associated with caries experience at different age periods of childhood. invented by Shimono in 1974 3). The test measures acid production capacity and can predict the occurrence of caries with good validity and reliability in young children or effective for screening high-risk populations in young children 4,5). The colonization of the mouth by cariogenic bacteria is by human transmission, mostly from mothers, fathers, caregivers to infants, and depends upon the rearing style given to infants and the quantity of harbored bacteria of the rearing individual. There is no single test that takes into consideration all these factors and can accurately predict an individual's susceptibility to caries. The risk of dental caries can be evaluated by analyzing and integrating several causative factors. Thus, this study was made to analyze risk behaviors that cause dental decay and assess risk behaviors and its association with caries activity and dental caries in Japanese children.

BackgroundGlobalization of the professions has become a necessity among schools and universities across the world. It has affected the medical and dental professions in terms of curriculum design and student and patient needs. In Japan, where medicine and dentistry are taught mainly in the Japanese language, profession-based courses in English, known as Medical English and Dental English, have been integrated into the existing curriculum among its 83 medical and 29 dental schools. Unfortunately, there is neither a core curriculum nor a model syllabus for these courses.MethodsThis report is based on a survey, two discussion forums, a workshop, and finally, the drafting of a proposed core curriculum for dental English approved by consensus of the participants from each university.ResultsThe core curriculum covers the theoretical aspects, including dental English terms and oral pathologies; and practical aspects, including blended learning and dentist-patient communication. It is divided into modules and is recommended to be offered for at least two semesters.ConclusionsThe core curriculum is expected to guide curriculum developers in schools where dental English courses are yet to be offered or are still in their early development. It may also serve as a model curriculum to medical and dental schools in countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Central and South America, where English is not the medium of instruction.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-014-0239-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Education in Japan and other Asian countries advocates the stereotypical passive learning style where students are limited in their breadth of knowledge dismissing anything not imparted by their teachers. With globalized education, professions are becoming very competitive, embracing student-centeredness compelling them to introduce active learning activities. A study funded by Japan’s Ministry of Education conducted a needs analysis, proposed a solution, and implemented an active learning approach. Since the latter is still new in the Japanese teaching-learning environment, this current study aimed at assessing the willingness of undergraduate students of dental medicine to participate in active learning activities rather than the typical passive-style teaching-learning educational process. Methods Three active implementation-learning activities, namely International Group Discussions (IGD), Student-Teacher Experience (STE) and Role Play Activities (RPA) were included in the Dental English course in a classroom setting at a dental school in Japan. Students had to choose between participating in the activity or taking the final examination. Two hundred and three third-year undergraduate dental students participated over a 5-year period from October 2013 to March 2017. For IGD, the researchers assigned students to a topic and grouped them with visiting international exchange students. For STE, researchers gave students teacher-prepared presentation slides on basic dental topics, which they presented in front of their classmates. For RPA, students had to do prepared role-play and impromptu role play. Peer and teacher feedbacks of the activities were given to all students. At the end of the course, the students evaluated the active learning activities and wrote their comments in a free entry survey. Results All 203 students participated in the active learning activities confirming the changing learning needs of Japanese students in this dental school. The most common comment was that the class was interesting, fun, an easy-to-understand way to learn dental terms, and a safe way to express themselves in the English language. Conclusion The majority of Japanese students preferred the active learning style. The study revealed that students reported greater engagement and better learning with proper guidance and time to prepare for the activities. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12909-019-1675-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.